The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-04-03
THE COLONIES DAUGHTER
BY EMMA A. oPPER.

seriousness
His wife and pretty daughter Kate,
were chopping meat and pairing apples for
mince pies. and his tall son, Gene, !"
was mendlng WASH tue.
Mrs. Holeomb looked at the deacon
SHARPLY, aud suspended her choppiDg
knife.
Anything the matter?' she said, anx-
iously.
Nothing very bad, the deacon re-
sponded, looking across the stove at her
affectionately. You won't think so, any
how. | says to Seth and Villas, [
know just what she'll say meaning
you"
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"From the Colonefs lawyer" he az
neunced
The Colonel was the deacon's half
brother, an elderly eccentric person, who
had died month ago in the small West
cru village where he had lived.
"Hasn't turned out to be worth pile Of
money, and left it to us?" said Gene,
-gaily.
"Hain't left us no money" said the dea-
con. ssHadn't none to leave, | reckon.
I'm ruther as onished The Colonel was
worth considerable along one spell, No
but he's lefi us something else"
.sWhat7 r. said Kate, eagerly.
ssIss from bis lawyer, as says" the
deacon rejoined, unfolding the letter.
ssAnd Seth and William got copies of it.
We was all at the postoffice when the mail
come, and took EN- out together 1t says"
he went on sloAly-''and Seth and VIII
liam says the very same thing-thatit was
the Colonels last wish that his daughter
Malvina should have home out here, with
Seth or William or me. He said that
whoever took her would be doing an act
of charity, and would be sartin to get re-
warded in heaven And he wanted us all
notified in them WORDS"
'sFor the lands saker said Mrs. Hell
comb.
ssWeu," said Gene, going on with the
washtub calmly, "of course Uncle Seth is
gsing to take her? Hes the best able to "
Il ruther expected myself" said the
deacon, hesita,ingly, that Seth would
step forward in this here crisis; but he
hain't He said he didn't hardly see how
he could do it. He said Malvina must be
somewhere nigh fifty by this time; and
being an old maid, she might be caniaDk-
erous, and Julia Ann mightn't be able to
get along with her. He said William and
me would have to settle it between US.
sWell, neverl" said Mrs Holcomb, in
dignantly MIN, with all his money and
that big houseP'
What did Unclc William say?" said
Kate 'sNow, Sc here, Pa Holcombl-
as the deacons kind eyes fell before her
gaze-"you don't mean to say that he is
Ia. oaua II 6n--Vnu the
poorest Of them all ?"
The deacon moved uneasily.
II don't want to blame William" he
said, mildly, Il can soc it just as he says. "
s.What did he say?" said Kate, her
black eyes flashing.
"He said he didn't see how he could
take her, nohow," the deacon replied.
Hes binding his new barn, and he don't
feel like having any more expense just
now. And he said he couldn't think of
boarding people without nothing more
substantial than reward in heaven to
look forward to-"
"He's a BRUTE said Gene. warmly
che and Uncle Seth, bothl But you're
not going to let them impose upon you,
father? Why, neither of them would feel
it; but yoH-good gracious!'
Gene looked around the bare little
kitchen meaningly.
II always thought a sight of the
Colonel" said the deacon, looking up at
the cracked ceiling, though he want
nothing but balf-brother;. and I can't
Just bripg myself 10 refuse the shelter of
my house, if it amt much, to any of his
kin There's where it isl
''You dear old silly par cried Kate.
Aud she slammed her apple-pan on the
table rushed around 81 the deacon's chair
and kissed him violently on The top Of his
bald head.
Your pas right, Children said Mrs.
Holcomb, resuming her chopping knife
quietly. fits our duty, as plain as day,
TO take the poor creetur.
There, said the deacon ,triumphantly,
II knew where you'd stand. L told Seth
and William so. 2
"Well," said Gene. rising from the
washtub with good-naturedly despairing
gesture, 1--WE are to have our Cousin NAL
VIVA, K te; but we are to give up all hopes
of college course, and We are to be mar
ried to Mark Hill in the dress we have on
we shall not be able to scrape up money
enough for new one by mex spring, with
Cousin Malvina on our hands"
He put an arm about his sisters waist.
in mock sympathy, and whirled her
laughingly away.
The deacon lookedS across at his wife
rather soberly.
"I'm afraid it's true enough" he said.
"No such thing" said Mrs. Holeomh,
briskly. "And s'posing it was? Mark
Hill would marry her quick enough in her
old dud ], reckon"
But Gene?" said the deacon auxiously
sAiebbe Mslvina will make a difference
about that And he's set his heart on get
ting an education"
you didn'a have none to speak off,
said Mrs Holcomb, stoutly, looking
little troubled, nevertheless.
sThey'Ie coed children" said the
deacon. "They wont make no trouble